(Acting in an supportive, advisory capacity for the artists and early years practitioners involved, encouraging the use of child led ways of working, and the sharing of skills.)

Presentation - '5x5x5, Our Learning Journey' - Wiltshire Early Years Team Teacher Training Day - Devizes, Wilts - October 2007.
(A presentation delivered jointly with Headteacher Carrie Beckett of Pitton Pre-School, sharing the professional development that has taken place through our involvement in the last 2 years of the 5x5x5=creativity research project.)

Project Leader - 'Making Marlborough' summer arts project- Reach Inclusive Arts - July to September 2007.
(I set up and ran an 8 week arts project for disabled people from the Marlborough area. Participants were introduced to different media and ways of working relevant to their interests and experience; working both individually and as a group, using painting, drawing, photography and sculpture.)

'Shelter Sculpture' workshop - Poole Family Arts Festival - Upton Park, Poole, Dorset - September 2007.
(A woven shelter built in the grounds of Upton House, with families attending the festival; using willow, recycled materials, and natural materials collected on-site.)

Lead Artist - ‘Reclaim Our River’ Educational Arts Project - Marlborough Primary Schools with Kennet Valley Arts Trust - June to July 2007.
(Working across 3 local schools, I supported groups of children in exploring the River Kennet, as part of the ‘Reclaim The River’ initiative, developed by ARK and KVAT. Projects were developed to tie in with the each school's curriculum and to allow individual children to inform the direction of the project. Ways of working included making books which were then used by the children to document their experience of the river, and creating wearable sculptures based on their observations of, and research into, the river wildlife. The resulting work and documentation was shown in a public exhibition at St Peter's school and later at the 'Reclaim Our River' arts and environment festival. An interview with BBC radio, also enabled me to share the learning that had taken place, with a wider audience.)

Presentation - ‘Intersubjectivity - Learning Through Relationship’ - 5x5x5=Creativity Conference - Bath Spa University - June 2007.
(A presentation following the learning journey of one child involved in the 5x5x5 research project; how his approach to learning was supported and accommodated within the project by myself and the team at Pitton Pre-School, and the impact on our own practice of working collaboratively.)

Recycled Sculpture Project - Wardour Pre-School, nr Tisbury, Wilts. - May 2007.
(Working with 2 to 5 year old children to explore recycled materials in a child-led way, including the use of clay with junk materials and the construction of a ‘house’ from recycled materials in the school grounds. A PAWS project funded by Salisbury District Council.)

'Growth' Willow Sculpture Workshop - University of Bath, Swindon and Swindon Carers - May 2007.
(A workshop using sculpture to look at issues of growth and development, relating to natural forms and structures. Part of a Creative Advice Week for long term carers looking to return to work or education.)

Artist/Researcher - '5x5x5=Creativity' - Pitton Pre-School and Salisbury Arts Centre with BANES Council and Wilts County Council - December 2006 to April 2007.
(Researching the way that children use creative means to investigate the world around them. Involving practical sessions with Pitton Pre-School, near Salisbury, with time for reflection and documentation, the research will be presented in an exhibition, seminar and publication in the summer of 2007. My research is also contributing to an MA researching the role of creative investigation in developing environmental awareness.)

Lead Artist - Environmental Arts Project, Bulford and Tidworth Camps, for Toozalii Ltd - April and May 2007.
(working with children from local army families, using creative ways to explore the local environment, including designing and constructing shelters from wood, willow and recycled materials. The project has been documented using video by myself and the children, for a dvd commissioned by Toozalii Community Arts Ltd.)

Presentation - 'Visual Art and Community Engagement' - Wilts CATS Course, Chippenham - March 2007.
(A talk for representatives from community organisations, on the role of the visual arts in engaging individuals of different ages, needs and backgrounds.)

Presentation - 'Participatory Practice and Professional Development' - Wilts CATS Course, Devizes February 2007.
(A talk for artists interested in working within education and the community, exploring the relationship between individual and participatory practice, and the practicalities of gaining experience and finding work.)

Recycled Sculpture Project - Home Education Group, nr. Warminster, Wilts - January 2007.
(Designing and constructing sculptures based on the participants' ambitions and hopes for the future, with a group of primary and secondary age children. A West Wilts PAWS Project.)

‘Yew Tree’ Project - Salisbury Arts Centre and Pitton Pre-School, Wilts. - October to December 2006.
(Using creative activities to enable a group of 3 to 4 year old children to explore and celebrate local trees. Activities included tree dressing, 'hedge-house' building, collecting and making artworks from natural materials, and the use of video in exploring and documenting the children's ideas. Developed to run alongside the Yew Tree exhibition, with a dvd of the work carried out to be shown at the New Shoots exhibition in January 2007.)

Presentations - 'A Creative Learning Environment Through Responsive Practice' -5x5x5 project for Wiltshire County Council, Devizes and Wilton, Wilts. - November 2006.
(Two presentations for teachers, on supporting creativity in early years education, with reference to the 5x5x5=Creativity Research Project)

Dragonfly Sculpture Project ('The Big Draw') - Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Langford Lakes Reserve - October 2006.
(working with family groups visiting the nature reserve, building a giant dragonfly sculpture from willow and recycled materials, for display in the education centre.)

Sculpture Project, 'Something Important to Me' - Elizabeth House Social Centre and Link-Up Arts, Salisbury. - September 2006.
(Creating sculptures from a range of materials with people with mental health issues, for the 'Riita's Impact' exhibition at The Creasey Gallery, Salisbury. A Salisbury District Council PAWS project.)

Mini-Beast Sculpture Project - Easton Royal Primary School, Wilts. - July 2006.
(working with infant-school age children, we created giant insect sculptures to be exhibited in the roof space of the new school hall. A Kennet Council PAWS project.)

Willow Sculpture Project - 'Artcare' Salisbury Hospital - June 2006.
(A series of workshops with hospital staff, making wildlife sculptures from willow and recycled materials for display in a hospital courtyard.)

Presentation - 'A Creative Learning Environment Through Responsive Practice' - 5x5x5 National conference - Bath Spa University - June 2006.
(Sharing work and findings developed through research carried out at Pitton-Pre-School. Looking at how to promote the evolution of effective learning environments within educational settings, through child-centred creative practice.)

Artist / Researcher – ‘5x5x5= Creativity’ – BANES Council, Pitton Pre-School and Salisbury Arts Centre – September 2005 to June 2006.
(Researching the way that children use creative means to investigate the world around them. Involving practical sessions with Pitton Pre-School, near Salisbury, with time for reflection and documentation, the research was presented in an exhibition, seminar and publication in the summer of 2006.)

Environmental Sculpture Project - Bishops Cannings Primary School, Wilts - June 2006.
(A large-scale sculpture constructed with a class of children, from natural and recycled materials in the school grounds, based on spiral forms and linked to the school's wildlife area - Kennet PAWS project)

Head Sculptures/ 'Shout' Project - Salisbury International Festival & Toozalii Ltd - February to May 2006.
(Working with disability groups and primary schools from around Salisbury and the surrounding villages to design and construct sculptures of human and animal heads ; mounted on flag poles in a parade to celebrate the start of the Salisbury Arts Festival.)

Large Scale Nest Sculptures - Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre, Berks - April 2006.
(A day workshop with local families,  weaving sculptures based on bird nests by the lakeside.)

Animal Mask workshop - 'Watch' Group, Langford Lakes Nature Reserve, Wilts - March 2006.
(Working with 6 to 12 yr. olds, using the local wildlife for inspiration in making a range of animal masks from recycled materials.)

Presentation - 'Good Practice in the Management of Creative Projects in Educational Settings' - Trowbridge, Wilts - February 2006.
(I was invited to share my experience in running creative projects at a 'Community Arts Training' course for education professionals)

Presentation and Practical Workshop - Community Arts Training Scheme for Artists / Wiltshire District Councils - November 2005.
(I was invited to talk about my career development and run a visual arts workshop for artists training to run Community Arts Projects. We made shoes as portraits, looking at how to represent character through colour, form and material.)

Project Leader – ‘Body-Masks’ – Wiltshire Day Centres – Sept. to Nov. 2005.
(I worked with groups from Devizes, Marlborough, Salisbury and Amesbury to create wearable artworks for exhibition at Salisbury Library and Galleries as part of Artshape’s ‘On The Next Level’ initiative, looking at how we can alter the way our bodies are seen by others by masking and decorating them.)

Project Leader – ‘Wearable Sculpture’– Link-up Arts, Shopmobility and Salisbury Library and Galleries – September 2005.
(A project  run by myself  for Artshape as part of the ‘On the Next Level’ initiative, designing and making wearable artworks for exhibition in ‘The Creasey Gallery’ with local disabled people.)

Project Leader/Manager – ‘Art & Jazz’ – Marlborough Resource Centre – July 2005.
(A project using The Marlborough Jazz Festival as inspiration for a series of mixed-media artworks produced with a group of local people with learning difficulties, to be exhibited alongside other commissioned artists later this year.)

Workshop Leader – Recycled Insects – Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre – June 2005.
(A drop-in project introducing visitors to the centre’s ‘Green Fair’ to ways of building flying insects from old bottles and other scrap materials.)

Project Leader - ‘Fanfare Project’ - Holburne Museum, Bath – April 2005.
(A project with ‘The Holburne Museum’ to develop seating in the Sidney Gardens, a public park alongside the museum, which was designed and constructed with a group of boys from a local school for children with ‘behavioural problems’. The seating was used to signal the opening of a new arts study building in the park and to help to encourage ownership of the development of the area by local people.)


SELECTED PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

2000 - 2001 'Explainer' - Natural History Museum Education Dept, Kensington, London.

AWARDS AND COMMISSIONS

October 2006 - Wessex Muse Magazine Article - 'Awareness Through Art, The Work of James Aldridge.' An invitation to write an article that focused on the relationship between my individual and participatory practice in encouraging greater environmental awareness.

March 2006 - Disability Arts Online Article - 'Inside-Out ; Art, Image and Disability'. A commission to write an article which explored the issues surrounding 'hidden' disability and self-image, in relationship to my own individual artwork, and my approach in running creative projects with people with differing needs.

July 2005 – ‘On the Next Level’ Action Research Award – Artshape/Salisbury Libraries.  I was employed to work individually and with local groups, researching and creating work used to develop themes for the upcoming ‘Space Between’ exhibition organised across the South West region by Artshape.

July 2005 – Marlborough Jazz Festival Commission.  I was invited to create work inspired by The Marlborough International Jazz Festival which was then exhibited alongside work by other commissioned  artists at an exhibition in ‘The Katharine House Gallery’, Marlborough.

April 2005 – CATS Bursary. I was awarded a bursary to work with the four Wiltshire District Councils and Trainer Christine Wilkinson  to develop and contribute to  CATS (Community Arts Training Scheme) courses for artists, community groups and those working in education who were interested in learning how to set up their own projects.


QUALIFICATIONS AND SELECTED TRAINING

November 2003 – Community Arts Training Scheme – Wiltshire District Councils.
(A four day course on fundraising, budgeting, marketing, and  management of community art projects)

March  2003 – Disability Equality Training for Artsworkers – Ruby Associates, Salisbury
(Two day training course commissioned by Salisbury District Council.)

Sept. to  Dec. 2000 – Carousel training course - Brighton
(Working in combined creative arts (art, music and drama) with people with learning difficulties.)

1993 to 1996 – BA(Hons) Fine Art – Surrey Institute of Art and Design
(Specialised in sculpture)

1992 to 1993 – National Diploma  in Foundation Art Studies – North Herts College



SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

September to November 2007 - 'Small Pictures' - Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury, Wilts.
(An open submission exhibition including mixed-media works 'Ritual' and 'Buried' printed onto collaged paper and leaves, using digital images from my 'Forest' series.)

June to July 2007 - '5x5x5=Creativity' - Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Spa University.
(An exhibition of images and findings from this research project with Pitton Pre-School and Salisbury Arts Centre.)

April 2006 to March 2007 – ‘Space Between’ Touring Exhibition – WWT Slimbridge Glos,  Brewhouse Theatre Taunton,  Holton Lee Arts Centre Dorset and Salisbury Library &Galleries.
(‘Inside Out’ - A series of artworks from recycled clothing produced with an Action Research Award from Artshape.)

October to November 2006 - 'Yew Tree' - Salisbury Arts Centre, Salisbury, Wilts.
('Shroud' - a yew wood and leather hanging, made for an exhibition of work by regional artists, from the wood of a tree felled during the Arts Centre's redevelopment. 'Shroud' explores the role of the Yew in western pre-Christian spiritual practices.)

September to November 2006 - Mixed-Media Exhibition - Browns Furniture Showroom, Letchworth, Herts.
(Selected mixed-media works exhibited and offered for sale amongst antique furniture.)

September 2006 - 'Riita's Impact' - Link-Up Disability Arts Festival - Creasey Gallery, Salisbury, Wilts.
(A series of mixed-media works layered onto clothing fragments to explore identity and disability - 'Public' 'Private' and 'Personal'.)

May and June 2006 - 5x5x5=Creativity, with Pitton pre-school - Salisbury Arts Centre & Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Spa Uni.
(Exhibition of the findings and work created during this research-based project)

October 2005 – ‘Marlborough Jazz Artists’, Katharine House Gallery, Wiltshire.
(Show of series of mixed media pieces as part of an exhibition of work by artists commissioned by ‘The Marlborough International Jazz Festival’.)

November 2004 – ‘Preloader 1’ – Wiltshire and Swindon short film festival, Cove Theatre, Chippenham.
(Screening of ‘Singing Ribbons’; designed, directed and performed in collaboration with ‘The Messy Rainbow Glitter Show’)

November 2004 – ‘The Oskar Bright Film Festival’, Old Market Theatre, Hove.
(screening of ‘Mask Dance’ ;designed, directed and performed in collaboration with ‘The Messy Rainbow Glitter Show’)

June 2004 – Puthall Park Sculpture Show, Wiltshire.
(‘Spirit’ installation; A series of sculptures made to occupy a large Apple tree in the grounds of Puthall Farm),

July-Sept. 1998 – Hitchin Museum and Art Gallery.
(Banner created as part of a  Residency with a local Primary School and jewellers, exploring local cultural diversity)                       

July 1996 – Henley Arts and Music Festival.
(‘For an Older Child’ and ‘Standing Cradle’ sculptures selected for exhibition)

May 1996 – Degree show, Surrey Institute of Art and Design.

March 1996 – ‘Open Wide’ student show, Bayswater, London.